Immortal
by BtVSLover
Summary: BTVS meets Highlander as my own little idea


Title: Immortal  
  
By: BtVSLover (btvslover@hotmail.com)  
  
Series Summery: BTVS meets Highlander  
  
Spoiler: Prophecy Girl  
  
Disclaimer: Yada, Yada, Yada, you all know I don't own these characters, I know I don't own these characters, they even know I don't own them, so what's the point in saying anything?  
  
Feedback: Please I beg you, I need it to see if this is worth going on with, any suggests, comments, hints, hell I'll even take nicely put flames, but please I'd love to hear from you  
~~~  
  
Giles, Willow and Xander were all in the Library, pretty much a given these days, Willow was in her usual place by the computer, concentrating on the screen in front, Xander was lounging in a chair with a large book on his lap and Giles was sitting opposite him with an equally large book, absent mindedly stirring a cup of tea. Suddenly Giles looks up and over at the door.  
  
Xander catches Giles' sudden change in concentration and follows Giles' eyes to the closed doors of the Library, he shrugs and turns back to Giles "nobody there G-man" he says just as the door swings inward and Buffy comes in a hand across her forehead, gently rubbing her temples, she looks up and around the room, then slowly lowers her hand with a slight look of puzzlement on her face.  
  
Upon hearing somebody enter the room Xander and Willow look over at Buffy, and while Xander turns and gives Giles a curious 'how did you know she was coming look' Willow gets out of her chair watching as the blond slayer slowly drops her hand to her side "what's up Buff?" she asks quietly watching her friend move to take a seat at the large table.  
  
Buffy just shrugs "don't know Will, I had a headache there for a second, but it seems to have gone" Buffy shrugs again then looks over at Giles "So, have we anything major happening tonight?" she asks her tone tired as she looks out the window at the half moon, which is shining down outside.  
  
Giles looks thoughtful for a second then looks Buffy over, whom also looks down at herself a bit selfcontiously "What do I have blood on my clothes again?" she asks turning herself around to check all over her clothes.  
  
Xander smiles lightly but at Buffy's antics then leans towards Willow and in a stage whisper says "It's happened Giles has notices Girls, our little man is growing up" he says with a wink at Willow who starts giggling softly and covers her mouth with her hand.  
  
Giles and Buffy both turn withering looks at Xander, who shifts uncomfortable in his chair under the doubt death glare muttering about making jokes about people who don't have a sense of humour. Giles turns his attention back to Buffy "No there is no blood on your clothes" he says getting up and heading into the caged area "I was just sizing you up" he says before emerging holding a sword in sheath "A few people that keep me abreast of what is going on around the world have informed me that a monster is heading towards us"  
  
Xander and Willow both exchange unreadable looks unbeknownst to Giles or Buffy, as the latter takes the offered sword and unsheathes it, taking a few practise swings under the eyes of the three other people in the room. Buffy re-sheaths the blade then turns back to "Ok, sure no problem, I take it that this demon is partial to sword play?" she ask as she settles down to talk business.  
  
Giles winces but nods his head "Buffy this monster that is coming to town, isn't a demon, he is rather human" Giles holds his hands up before Buffy can say anything about humans and killing "If we keep you in the background he won't register your presence here, the sword is just for protection in case he does come across you".  
  
Buffy looks slightly puzzled, as Willow arches an eyebrow behind Giles' and Buffy's backs at Xander who inturns mouths a 'tell you later' to Willow, "ok so some guy is coming here, so what? there are heaps of people that come to Sunnydale".  
  
Giles shakes his head sadly "Buffy for now take the sword, this is for protection, I'll tell you more tomorrow" Giles says. Xander chuckles "Oh well Buff, you could always behead vamps tonight, make an interesting change from just staking them" he says as all three people in the room give him a mixture of looks, alarm and shock from Willow, alarm and almost suspicion from Giles, and curiosity and thoughtful from Buffy "You might have something there Xand man, wouldn't be the first time I've seen a vamp or demon with a sword. Ok Giles does this thing come with a belt or something to wear it?"  
  
Giles breaks off his look at Xander and turns to Buffy "hmm? oh a belt, actually I hadn't thought of that" he says as he wanders back into the cage, "I have two types of belts" he calls out, then emerges from the cage carrying two belts holding one up, "this is the simplest, just goes around your waist, the problem is that it's a little hard to hide, this other one is one I've used in the past, it goes around your arms and shoulders, much like one of those belts the police use, easy to hide using a trechcoat or other such thing." he said handing her the belt.  
  
Buffy takes the shoulder mounted belt and looks at in uncertainly, "uhh, how do I put it on?" Giles opens his mouth to answer then bites his bottom lip and his cheeks redden slightly and he leans forward and whispers into Buffy's ear, then sits back and suddenly finds the books on the table interesting. Xander watched with amusement on his face as Buffy's checks also reddens to match Giles' "Well, how do you wear it?" Willow asks almost busting with curiosity.  
  
Buffy shot Giles an accusing look and deliberately avoids looking at Xander "ah I'll tell you later Will" she says. Xander starts to chuckle lightly "It's worn as a backward bra" he says throwing an amused look at both Buffy and Giles as Willow's whole face starts to glow a bright red, "My Uncle Roy was in the army and has all that sort of stuff at his place, left over from his time in the army"  
  
Giles gives Xander a sigh, "I thought you might know, Xander, I wasn't worried about your reaction" he says throwing Willow a look, and Xander amused look fades as he looks over at Willows flaming red face, he gets up and moves over to join her putting an arm around her shoulder "Hey sorry, Will, I thought you knew" he says, Willow just shakes her head, not quiet ready to trust her voice.  
  
Buffy rolls her eyes at Giles "So your worried about Will's reaction, but not mine, why doesn't that make me feel good?" she asks rhetorically. Giles just smiles gently "well you did ask" he points out, "now put it on and we'll" Giles pauses "that is, you'll adjust it to um, well fit" he says his cheeks lighting up red again. Buffy arches an eyebrow slightly, but her own cheeks were slightly coloured as well as she pulled on the shoulder belt, and made a few adjustments to the tightness around her shoulders and back "Ok now what?" she asks in a soft voice holding the sheathed sword out to Giles, who after clearing his throat takes the offered sword.  
  
"We ahh, clip the top of the sheath to the belt, and there you go" he says clipping the sheath in place on Buffy's left side and stepping back, "to of course draw the sword, grab the sheath with your left hand" Giles pauses and nods as Buffy does so, rapping her left hand around the sheath which is about in line with the bottom of her ribs "then tilt it backward slightly and draw with your right hand" Buffy tilts her sheathed sword backward, angling the hilt out before her as she grabs it with her right hand and draws it, then moves in to a slashing move as she draws all in one smooth motion.  
  
Xander who with Willow had been looked on with interest whistled "Are you sure that's the first time you've worn that Buff, that was so smooth it looked practiced." Giles who had also been admiring the ease to which Buffy had taken to the shoulder sheath, shot Xander a lightly irritated look, as Buffy answered Xander "No, never used/worn it before, but you know me, I'm a natural when it comes to weapons" she says eyeing Giles almost questioningly, Giles can do nothing but smile and nod "much to my constant delight" he says smiling warmly at the glowing grin on his charges face.  
  
Willow smiled "Then everything is ok, Buffy has a sword, um Giles how often will Buffy need the sword on her?" she asks pointedly throwing a quick look at Xander. Giles looked thoughtful for a few seconds "um, well since this new threat isn't a demon, he is quiet capable of moving through the day, and normally does, I'd have to say keep the sword at least accessible at all times". Buffy gave Giles a slightly horrified look "even at school? it will be pretty hard to go around school with a sword under my clothes, can I put it in my locker, at the back and carry it to and fro school in a bag of some sort?" she asks.  
  
Giles smiles and nods his head "That should do it" Giles looked up at the clock "that should just about do it for tonight, don't bother patrolling tonight, Buffy, after the Master was dealt with, there will be little activity for a few nights at least" he says. Buffy just grinned "Ok guys, lets go" she said and the trio of teenagers quickly packed up their books and things and left the library.  
~~~  
  
Even as Buffy heads out of the Library with her new sword and friends in tow, a brand new Ford GT crashes through the "Welcome to Sunnydale" sign then handbrakes turns into a 90 degree circle before coming to a stop, the door opens and a large man steps out of the GT the, Leather boots stepping out onto the asphalt of the road the man takes the smoke out of his mouth and flicks it into the nearby road side "Ripper, old pal" The man says to the empty street "I'm back" he says with a truly evil laugh, before getting back into the car, revving the evil and burning down the street, leaving a lingering smell of burned rubber and a huge long skid mark from the tires.  
~~~  
  
As the trio are walking home, a loud crash followed by a screeching of tires can be heard in the distance, exchanging a quick glance the trio quickly take off towards the sound, arriving at the scene just in time to see the GT hand-break into another street and drive off.  
  
"Who wants to make a bet that was Giles' monster?" Buffy comments, not even breathing hard as her two companions struggle to catch their breath, while she watches the car burn around the corner at the end of the street. Willow catches her breath first shakes her head "Nah, I never beat on a sure winner" she quips   
  
Xander nods his agreement as he finally gets his breath "Back to the Library?" he asks of the two girls. Buffy shakes her head "nah, I'll see you to home then give him a ring, it's not like we can do a lot, he's in a car and driving like that" she says gesturing at where the car had disappeared. Well, guys lets go"  
  
Willow and Xander nod their heads and the trio set off again, heading for Willow's house, then to Xander's.  
~~~  
  
Giles looked around the Library one last time, then grabbed the books he would be needing for the night as well as the longsword that he had with him, he clipped the sword to the shoulder webbing, much the same as Buffy's then pulled on his tweed jacket, turned the lights off and walked out the door of the Library towards his car. Halfway to the car the buzz of an older immortal hit him, quickly putting the books down, Giles grabbed the hilt of his sword, from under his coat, but refrained from drawing it yet.  
  
From down the corridor a mocking laughter could be heard before finally a voice rang out "Ripper, Ripper, Ripper, my dear Ripper, how have you been old boy?" asked the same voice from earlier in the night, emulating from the shadows  
  
Giles nods his head in the direction of the voice "Quiet well thankyou" he says guardedly "What are you doing here, I thought we had an agreement, Ethan" Giles says with an almost growl in his voice.  
  
"Ripper, please" the man identified as Ethan says "I thought you'd be happy to see me, it's been a long time" he says with an almost nasty smile on his face "1758, if I remember it correctly"  
  
Flash back  
Sitting in a small inn, Ripper looked across at his young companion, well relatively speaking, he though generally amused, since his companion was over 2 hundred years. His green, emerald eyes scan past his companion and on to study the common room's occupants, when suddenly a strong buzz hits him, glancing quickly at his student who has also felt it. Ripper's hand strays to his sword, which is handing from a belt at his waist in plain sight.  
  
The heavy wooden door from the stable yard opens and a tall man, wearing a black robe enters, the hood up protecting the man from the slight storm which is outside, stepping into the dimly candle lit room. He pushes back his hood, revealing an evil smile which he directs at Ripper, before pulling out a throwing knife and throwing it at almost point blank, it buries itself deep into Rippers chest, and he has time to gasp one thing before dying "run, Will"  
  
The student sitting with Ripper watches in horror as his mentor and friend falls with the dagger in his chest and turns to face Ethan, as he pulls his cutlass from the sheath at his hip.  
  
The robed man just laughs even as the rest of the room quickly empties to let the fighters fight, shrugging his robe; the man pulls out a bastard sword. The long thin double-edged blade with spikes near the crossbar "I didn't want old Ripper to interfere when I took your head" the man says with a cocky grin  
  
The man known as will just nodded his head, as he clutched his sword in his hand rightly, and immediately jumped forward in straight stab.  
  
Ethan simple parried the stab and grinned "now that's a classic Ripper, kill them while they talk" he says even as he slashed at Will's left arm "Ripper was never one for pleasantries"  
  
Will just shrugs again, his full concentration on Ethan, not even listening to what the man has to say, easily seeing the lazy slash, Will simple ducked under it and aimed a slash at Ethan's sword arm.  
  
Ethan just laughs again and twists his arm under Will's cutlass, stepping forward inside the arc of the cutlass, Ethan punches out with the hit of his sword, the crunching of Will's nose bones along with the steady flow of blood, from the nose announces the broken nose  
  
Wincing with the pain of the broken nose, and still having Ethan right there in front of him, too close to attack him with the cutlass, Will does the only thing he can think of, he raises a knee into Ethan's groin  
  
Flinting backward in pair, Ethan's left hand goes to his injury even as he starts violently slashing with his sword, soon blood splatters across the room and the dull thud and light show heralds the winner, even if he was almost unconscious with pain.  
  
End Flash Back  
Giles growls "Yes I remember, after that you agreed to leave me in peace" he says, "Now why are you here, and who are you working for?" Giles asks raising his sword to point it at Ethan "and you'd better talk fast, I'm still not overly impressed with you killing my student"  
  
Ethan chuckles and makes with the peaceful gestures "Calm down Ripper, I'm on a peaceful thing for the moment. Needless to say the council is not happy, they're very worried about their slayer, of course as soon as I heard that you had disappeared I put two and two together and well here I am"  
  
Giles takes a step forward and rest the sword on Ethan's shoulder, the blade against his neck "I don't know what you're talking about Ethan" he says. His voice with a slight edge to it "And since when do you work for the council, Ethan" Giles asks his sword still resting on the neck of Ethan before him.  
  
Ethan just chuckled and shrugged "Ripper, I never said I did work for the council, I just said they were very alarmed at the thought of the Slayer going missing, so when do you intend on informing them where you and the Slayer are?" Ethan asks with a cocky smile on his lips  
  
Giles just gives Ethan a thin lipped smile "Since I have no idea where the Slayer is, I can hardly inform them where she is, now can I" he asks side stepping the trap that was in Ethan's rhetorical question.  
  
Suddenly a ringing in the Library interrupts the pair as the Library phone starts to ring, Giles cocks his head on the side as he listens to the ringing. "Well you will excuse me, but I really have to take his call" as he removed the sword from Ethan's neck and turned to walk back to the Library.  
  
Ethan put his hands in the pockets of the Leather jacket with an evil grin "oh please don't let me stop you" he says then pulled out a gun and shoots Giles in the back 5 times. Moving to stand over the body Ethan just chuckles "Yes please don't let me stop you Ripper."  
~~~  
  
Getting home to find her mother out, Buffy sighs and unbuckles the sword belt and props it up against the kitchen door, then picks up the phone and dials the Library number hoping that Giles would still be at the Library.  
  
Buffy leans back against the kitchen wall the sword just behind her mostly hidden, just in case her mother came home before she had time to get up to her room and hide it. Holding the phone to her ear and waited for Giles to answer at the other end, finally after the 5th ring, the phone was Answered "Yes?" asks the voice that was distinctly not Giles.  
  
"Who is this" Buffy demands immediately picking up that it wasn't Giles who had answered the phone, "And where is Mr. Giles?" Buffy asks with a concerned voice.  
  
"Ahh the Slayer I presume?" comes the mocking voice across the phone in a rhetorical question "I'm afraid that the Ripper is a little tired up at the moment and can't come to the phone right now"  
  
Buffy listens to the voice with growing concern, no doubt in her mind that this was the person that Giles had warned her about earlier that night "You had better not have hurt him, or I'll have you begging for death" Buffy replies her tone as cold as a glacier  
  
The voice just laughed "Ohh the Ripper has picked himself up a wild cat this time, listen pet, by the time you get here old Ripper will be fine" and with that the phone was disconnected.  
  
Buffy stood their for a second, after she hung up the phone, then punched in Willows number getting after getting an answer she says "Library, get Xander, and hurry Will". Slamming the phone down, Buffy looks at the leather jacket that Angel had given her, then quickly runs out the door leaving the jacket behind.  
  
Since Buffy lived the closed to the school, she arrived before Willow or Xander. Getting to the school she virtually ripped the front door off it's hinges and started sprinting, down the hall way to the Library, kicking the doors to the Library inward. Buffy enters to find Giles slumped forward in a chair ropes around his body holding into the chair, and the 5 bullet wounds quiet visible almost staring accusingly at her, along with the large blood stain that had taken up most of the back of the shirt.  
  
From out in the hall way, Buffy could hear 2 sets of running feet, breaking it out of her shock, she quickly grabbed Giles coat and draped it over the back of the chair 'Can't let poor Willow see this, she'll freak' was the first though to enter Buffy's mind. Then it crashed into her and tears started to flow quiet freely down her cheeks, quickly wiping them away before they could make her eyes red. Finishing putting the coat around the chair and gave Giles a kiss on the cheek "I'm sorry, I couldn't stop this" she says then quickly walks over to the Library doors to stop her friends from finding out the fate of her watcher, Rupert Giles.  
  
Willow and Xander were both sprinting down the hallway when they saw Buffy step out of the Library, with an almost lost look on her face. Coming to a halt just in front of her, Willow watched as Buffy flinched and started rubbing her temples, looking past Buffy both of them note the broken in doors of the Library "Buffy what's wrong? Where's Giles?" asks Willow.  
  
Xander takes one look at the seemingly lost slayer and a feeling of dread goes right through him. Xander thinks about it for a second then decided to lives up to what he sees as his place in the Scooby gang and tries to lighten the mood, in a desperate attempt to get Buffy to focus "And have you been re-decorating the Library doors?"  
  
Buffy flinches again as Willow asks after Giles and she gives Willow a watery smile "I don't know, he wasn't here, I called the Library and somebody other than Giles answered, I, I, wigged, especially when who ever wouldn't tell me where Giles was". Buffy says sticking to some of the truth at least she thinks to herself as she crumbles inside as the loss of her Watcher again hits her, but she refuses to start crying again, at least in front of her friends.  
  
Just then Giles joins them from inside the Library, "Good evening all, I just remembered a book I had to get," he says nonchalantly.  
  
Buffy turns and looks at her watcher shock written all over her face then her slayer senses kick in and she reaches out to him with her senses, not sensing any evilness she just stands there eyes watching. Absently noting that the coat she had put around the chair was now being worn by him, 'probable to hide the wounds in the back' her mind suppled, even as her eyes started to tear up again as she was frozen solid in place.  
  
Xander and Willow who were slightly behind Buffy of course didn't not any of the changes in their friends face just nodded their heads and Xander pointed out the door to Giles. "It seems we had a run in with your monster, Buffy called to report in, but he must have answered the phone," he said shrugging his shoulders. Willow nodded her head "and of course Buffy hurried over to see if you were fine and not in any danger, cus you know danger is bad, and being in danger is even worse." Willow said starting to babble on like is her want.  
  
Giles smiled lightly at them "of course, Xander if you could see Willow home, I'll just talk to Buffy about this monster so we can better avoid it" he said looking at Buffy before glancing back at Willow and Xander.  
  
Willow hmms softly, not knowing if that was the right idea right then, looking at Buffy all she could see was how tense the Slayer looked, she could almost see the muscles rippling in the shoulders and legs under the black pants and blouse. "Buffy?" she asks even as Xander was turning around and walking down the hall, after nodding at Giles. "Come on Willow lets go, the G-man and Buff will handle it. Willow took one last look at Buffy and Giles then nodded her head in agreement 'After all it's Giles' she though to herself, walking down to Xander, who put an arm around her shoulders and escorted her out of the school building.  
  
Giles who had been half watching Buffy and half watching Xander and Willow, caught sight of a flash of blue on Xander's wrist as he put an arm around Willow. As they left the building and was taken completely by surprise when his slayer pounces on him and pulled him into an almost rib breaking hug.  
  
"Giles" she gasped as she pounced on him and pulled him into a hug "you were hurt and, and bleeding and you were dead" suddenly Buffy takes her arms away and forces Giles up against a wall. One hand pushing into Giles' ribcage to force all the air out of his already tortured lungs, as she pulled out a steak "you were dead" she said again accusingly, but still she hesitated before driving the steak forward, almost as if she were trying to will it not true.  
  
"Buffy" Giles gasped with the little remaining air in his lungs "think about it Buffy" was all he was able to get out his own hands at his side, as he struggled not to struggle, knowing that to do so would only further the case against him in Buffy's mind.  
  
Buffy's hand relaxed off Giles chest enough for him to at least get a little air into his lungs, as she watched fascinated. Suddenly she reached and grabbed his hand by the wrist almost grinding the bones to dust in her iron like grip, turning it over she noted the warmth, and putting her two finger over the pulse point she absently noted the pulse. Giles of course just stood quietly enduring the scrutiny of his slayer with patience, "Buffy it is me" he says quietly in a warm soft voice.  
  
Buffy was now really torn, she had seen her watcher dead, 'well as dead as 5 bullet wounds in the back will do to a person' she things absently, and yet here he was. Again she reached out with her slayer senses, 'he sure doesn't feel different, but then he never felt normal' come the thought through her mind 'but then I've always just though that was because he was a watcher.'  
  
Giles looked down in the beautiful, youthful face of his charge, the battle of her thoughts clear on her face. Taking a little pity on his slayer "ask something only I would know", that should help" he suggested lightly, keeping his tone soft so as not to startle the poor girl.  
  
Buffy's sky blue eyes snapped to Giles's emerald green ones as the new suggested registered on her mind. Looking into his eyes she could see it, she didn't know exactly what it was, but she could see it, she didn't even know if they had a name for it, but it was there, in his emerald green eyes. Breaking contact she pulled back a bit, with this new discovery, mental shrugging her shoulder she banished 'it' to the back of her mind before she again put her arms around Giles in a hug "Giles" she said simple.  
  
Giles didn't know exactly what Buffy was looking for, so he simple stood there and looked straight back at her. When she pulled back he was a little hurt, but that hurt banished when she again hug him and said his name, 'well at least the name she knows me by' a tiny apart of his mind said generally amused at the rest of him.  
  
The pair stood their for a few second, when Buffy slowly took her arms away, and again looked at Giles "Ok so I now know your not human, your close, close enough not to set off my spider senses. So not demonic, but I'm guessing not fully human, or the bullets in the back would have been it" she said as again the memory of Giles' body came to her minds eye and tears began to leak from her eyes and flow down her cheeks.  
  
Giles shrugs his shoulders "I'm human" he says in his Watchers voice, trying not to be hurt with Buffy's assessment of what he was, putting an arm around her shoulders as yet more tears begin to flow down her cheeks. Giles gently guilds her into the Library and to a seat "Well I'm as human as the next man, woman, or slayer" he says gently. Buffy's gasp and horrified look and way her eyes glaze over causes him to wince as he can practically hear the self-query running though the girls head 'Way to go Giles, make the girl question her own humanity why don't you' his thoughts responded to what his mouth had said   
  
"I didn't mean it that way Buffy, your as human as Willow, and I'm as human as Xander" Giles looks at Buffy again and can see some of the tension relax out of her shoulders 'now to try some humour, see if we can't get that beautiful smile' he thinks. "Well as human as Xander can get, sometimes the boy has my worried" he says and gets a reward of a minor smile from Buffy.  
  
Buffy still a bit tense eyes Giles "and" she prompt waving her hands for Giles to continue "and" she says again looking at him expectantly the sky blue pleading for him to explain further and to make it right.  
  
"I'm immortal Buffy, my real name it" Giles pauses as he thinks about it, then chuckles lightly "actually I can't even remember what my real name is. I've had so many over the last 2 and a half thousand odd years" he says looking thoughtful he misses the look of shock his slayer gives him. "I think it was Glaices" Giles shrugs "not that it really matter I don't think, it's Rupert Giles now, or Giles" he says smiling warmly as he breaks out of his thoughts to see Buffy re-composing herself.  
  
Buffy sends her thoughts inward, and when she re-focuses on Giles she nods her head "this has come as a really big shock, and I think that is probable the understatement of the millennium. But I want to know, are their many of, um well, er you around?" asks Buffy not sure on exactly how she should phrase the question.  
  
Giles shrugs "there are a few around, some of them are good friends, some aren't, some don't care either way they just want to live. There are very few older than me, supposedly there is one who is 5 thousand years old, but that in itself is almost a myth. But your right, this has come as a very big shock, I think for the both of us, I didn't want you to find out this soon, some time in the future yes, but not this soon." Giles thinks for a second "I'll take you home, sleep on it, and we can talk tomorrow some more, don't tell Willow or Xander, I'll tell them myself in time" Giles says looking closely at Buffy he could note the tired look in her features.  
  
Nodding her head she smiles lightly "I won't tell them" she says as she leans back in her chair for a second then gets up "well come on, lets go" she says as she walks out the door, turning just past the threshold to wait for Giles. "And were going to talk about this car you've got, I'm sure if you've been around for so many years you'd get a decent car at least." Giles just smiles as he gets up from his seat and moves to join his slayer, and together they walk down the hall.  
  
~~~  
Authors note: Ok I'm not going to put all the question and answer sessions that Giles and Buffy have, this is just one of them, or more to the point the first of these sessions, about Giles's immortality  
~~~  
It was a Sunday a few days after Buffy had entered the Library and found her watcher dead, only to have him re-appear and admit to being immortal to her. Buffy and Giles were training in the Library, just the pair of them, both Xander and Willow had been there earlier in the day, when they were researching but now the happy pair had gone off to do their own things  
  
Buffy holding a wooden staff twirled it in her hand "come on Giles, talk to me, I really want to know" she says, since finding out that Giles was actually immortal she had been spending a lot of time with him. Even to the extend of passing on a holiday away from the Hell Mouth with her father, when her mother remarked about it Buffy just shrug and mummed something about a summer job.  
  
Giles who was also holding a wooden staff sighed and put one of the end on the ground and leant against it "Why, Buffy? Why exactly do you want to know about me, and exactly what do you want to know?" he asks tiredly. He'd been dodging most of Buffy's questions and for some reason he was yet to fathom she hadn't passed the information on to Xander and Willow yet, it was after all the first thing he had expected here to do after finding out.  
  
Buffy who had been watching her Watcher closely, stepped forward using the speed she had and knocked the staff from out of Giles's hand, casing him to stumble, before he had the chance to get his balance, Buffy had put her staff between his legs, causing him to trip. Buffy walked over to the prone body of her watcher and put the staff right in the middle of his chest "Giles your not getting up until you promise to spill, now spill." She said glaring down at him "I asked, nicely, after all you know just about everything about me, why can't I know at least a little about you huh?" she asks pointedly while leaning on the Staff gently, but enough for Giles to feel it.  
  
Giles on the ground looked up at his irritated Slayer and sighed "Ok, I'll, 'spill'" he says as Buffy takes the weight off her staff and extends a hand to help him up. Giles takes the hand and pulls downward on it; of course this ends up with Buffy lying right on top of him even if he only meant to land her on the ground. "And that's what you get for being mean and picking on an old man who was just leaning on his staff" he says with a slightly smile on his lips  
  
Buffy, who is taken complete by surprise by Giles' dirty trick, slowly gets off him "well your pretty good for an old guy, since there aren't many guys I know your age who can do all the stuff you can do." Buffy says then gives it some thought and her eyes drift down Giles chest's under the casual shirt he's wearing, having taken the coat off to actually fight "of course that statement would be better if I knew how old you are exactly?" she says looking back up at Giles.  
  
Giles flushes slightly as he can almost feel Buffy's eyes trace down his chest "Ok, we can talk" he says getting off the ground, he drops into a seat at the Library table and gestures for her to take a seat. When she does so he clears his throat a little before starting to talk "Ok I'm about 2500 years old, born 504bc by today's reckoning, my first name I suppose you might say was Glaices, but now I'm Rupert Giles." He shrugs giving Buffy an almost helpless look "what exactly do you want to know?"  
  
Buffy takes note of the lack of jacket as she takes a seat by Giles "2500?" she asks shocked before her wit kicked in "you don't look a day over 500" she quips earning an amused chuckle from Giles. "If I were to come across an immortal, like this guy who killed you, how do I kill him? Have you always been like this? And why are you immortal?" Buffy fires off in quick succession "And what's with the Tweed, you'd probable look good in just a casual pair of jeans and a T-shirt."  
  
Giles starts chuckling again "yes quiet, a day over 500, very amusing" he says then starts to listen to Buffy's questions. "Well as to killing us, only a simple beheading will do it, though I would really like for you to stay away from them, just because they need to have their heads cut off, doesn't mean they aren't carrying guns or other such things. So be careful at all time when dealing with an immortal. As for me, yes since my First death, which is what it takes to trigger a person immortality I've always looked this way. As to why, nobody really know why we become immortal, we just do." he says with a shrug of his shoulders "as to my clothes, I'm in disguise as a watcher."  
  
Buffy's eyes opened wide "your not really a watcher?" he asks quiet in shock with that little discovery "then why.." Buffy half asked, her eyes shooting open "you think maybe I or one of the others is Immortal?" she asked her eyes open wide at the possibility of being an immortal.  
  
Giles is torn between telling her and not telling her, and settles with "no the others aren't immortal" and hoping she would just accept that 'because it's not like she's not reckless enough as it is. All we need is for her to find out she's immortal' he thought to himself even though his conscious was troubling him about his deception.  
  
Buffy nodded her head in acceptance of what Giles said about the others and just pictured herself as one of the 'others' "then why are you here? And is that why you went after the Master, because you couldn't die and I could?" she asked leaning back in her chair her mind already touching other load point simple with Giles' age and the fact he wasn't a watcher at all.  
  
"Well actually I'm here for a few reasons, Merric wrote to me about you, he was a clairvoyant and cold 'see' things about people, he just knew you would need me." Giles shrugs and leave it at that as to why he would come and be her watcher "As for the Master it was that simple, he could kill me, but he couldn't get free, I would revive and kill him, well that was the plan until you knocked me out." Giles smiles to show no hard feelings and looks over at the clock "And it's getting late I think that about finishes it for now. Do a quick patrol, I wouldn't worry too much, it will be quiet for some weeks, yet take your sword you may run into that monster."  
  
Buffy looked rebellious for a few seconds then nodded her head in agreement "Ok but I'll be back tomorrow with more questions" she says even as she grabs the sword which is propped up in the weapons cage even though said cage was disguised as a book cage. Clipping the sword on she grabbed a long jacket and put it on, hiding the sword on the inside and started walking for the door.  
  
Just before she gets to the door Giles calls out "and Buffy, I'm expecting an old friend tomorrow, So you may find a stranger here in a few days, possible before the weekend he's coming a long distance" he says absently.  
  
Buffy just laughs "an old friend, exactly how old are we talking a thousand or more?" she asks jokingly "What's his name I'll keep an eye out for him"  
  
Giles just gives her a look "no he's only a few hundred, and I'm not sure what name he's going by these days, I suppose we'll have to wait until he arrives to find out."  
~~~  
  
It was a few weeks after Giles and Buffy had gotten time to talk, and since then every night they had patrolled together. They had worked out a system whereby, they enter the graveyard together, split up and patrol through the4 graveyard then meet at the entrance and then move on to the next graveyard.  
  
Buffy had just split up with Giles, when she felt his familiar presence "You might as well come out Angel" she called out, and then he just appeared out of the shadows with an almost sheepish grin. 'Well as much of a sheepish grin as a person who hadn't grinned in about 80 could' muster Buffy mused to herself. Buffy smiled warmly "So what's up, haven't seen you are for a while." she comments  
  
Angel just nods his head "I've finished here, time for me to move on, I'm moving to LA" he says quietly his voice slightly apologetically as he looks at Buffy "I just wanted to say good bye and deliverer my final warning"  
  
Buffy looked hurt for a second, but then nodded her head, ever since that day where all their nightmares had come true, and she had become a Vampire, she had let her relationship with Angel slide. She remembered being a Vampire and wrestling with for her soul, she also remembered looking on her best friends and watch as a food source. It had been a guilty though and only crossed her mind for a brief second, but it had, and she certainly didn't want a boyfriend, who might some day give her the same look even if he didn't mean too.  
  
Angel nodded his head when she didn't answer him vocally, he hadn't really expected her too, he could feel the distance between them growing, even before he had tried to hide the prophecy about the Master, "I'll be leaving tomorrow night, still have a few things to pack. When I get set up I'll call you, and I'll call Giles" he watched Buffy just nod her head again as she bit her bottom lip "There are a few new people in town. One of them is very bad, he's starting to recruiting vampires and other demons to his cause, the other one's lying low."  
  
Buffy nodded her head again "The one gathering demons is the one that hurt Giles I think, the other person is somebody, I don't know, he's a friend of Giles' come to help with the first guy. I haven't met him yet, So I don't know" Buffy said with a shrug of her shoulders, her eyes still a bit pained at the though of loosing Angel even if she did have Giles. 'Wooo, where did that come from' she thought quietly, since when did she 'have' Giles, this line of though really need more time then this she so shelved the thought to come back to it.  
  
Angel just nodded and took a backward step into the shadows vanishing just as quickly as he appeared   
~~~  
  
Giles sighed, he really hated keeping Buffy's secret to him self without telling her that she was immortal, but as a Slayer she was reckless, how else could you explain going after a Master vampire with a simple crossbow. Personally he would have taken, the crossbow, at least three stakes, a couple of ninja stars, and of course his sword, and that would have been a bare minimum for him, she had just taken a crossbow, Giles sighed again and moved his thoughts onward to his next problem. Actually Giles was very interested in seeing how the Immortal sense would mesh with the Slayers senses; this was definitely something of interest to him, as Buffy was the first Immortal Slayer ever.  
  
Xander, since catching sight of the tattoo of the watches on Xander he'd been concerned, he hadn't had a watcher on his tail for at least fifty years, the trouble was, was the boy watching him, or Buffy? And how could one so young get involved? He wondered he could only think of 2 possible solutions, flat out ask, or get Methos to check around for him, but then Methos and he we're really on speaking terms at the moment. He could probable get into the watchers database himself, Giles snickered for a second, he wasn't nearly as helpless around computers as he tended to make out, but that might call attention to himself and where he was.  
  
Now on to another problem he thought quietly to himself, Ethan, was probable getting together a following of some sort, probable demonic in nature. Giles only hoped that he hadn't found out about Buffy's status as an Immortal already, at least that might come as a surprise, and might even make him leave her alone, yeah right he though to himself. Ethan would love to get the power of an immortal slayer it would make him almost impossible to defeat, even for him, Ethan's teacher, or former teacher anyway.  
  
Another problem sprang to mind, where was bloody Conner, he though quietly, he should have bloody been here at the most yesterday Giles though furiously, it wasn't like the Scot to be late for something like this. When Giles had called Connor and told him about his current predicament, that he had found a new student, leaving out the Slayer bit. Connor had promised he would be on the next flight to America, he had been staying at one of his houses in Scotland at the time, overlooking his Clan's ancient lands. 'Was probable bloody happy to get away from the memories' Giles though not unkindly, knowing that memories of home always tended not to be the nicest ones to have come to mind even as thoughts of his own home came to mind.  
  
Flash Back  
  
Ancient England, Giles stood in the middle of a hut looking exactly the same as he did now, a sword strapped to his waist, made of iron but it was rough and had many notches in it. A leather tunic covered his body, with an open shirt displaying his barrel like chest; the younger Giles stepped out of the hut and looked at his men, soldiers of a type, more like trained farmers  
  
Looking around the circle of about 50 men, each baring assorted weapons, some axes, but mostly swords, they were all farmers trained to defend their homes, while Giles himself was more or less a travelling adventurer, stopped to help out.  
  
End Flash Back  
  
Giles shook his head he didn't want to remember the home he failed to protect, the farmers, and his people who had faith that he could at least lead them. Giles sighed and headed back to the entrance of the Graveyard, needing the warmth and beauty of his slayer right then to banish the bad memories.  
~~~  
  
The two came to the entrance at about the same time, each sensing the others approach, Giles had explained to Buffy that now she knew what to feel for, she would be able to sense the presence and approach of an immortal at all times.  
  
She didn't know how, but as soon as she could feel Giles approaching, she could feel his sorrow and general lowness giving her Watcher, as she had come to consider him as, no matter he said he wasn't such, a quick hug to try and cheer him up she smiled "I saw Angel. He's leaving for LA he said he would call when he got settled, but before he left, he did say your friend was in town, just lying low." Buffy reported  
  
Generally surprised at the hug, Giles' low down feeling vanished at the fleeting feel of his Slayers arms around him, "Angel's Leaving? But he's going to call, probable to give us his number that way we can contact him if need be" Giles says musing quietly to himself. At news of his friend he chuckled softly "Of course, he always was a careful one, he's probable been here for a few days, just been checking out how things are going around town." Giles says, 'Conner will probable show himself tonight' he though quietly to himself.  
  
Buffy nodded her head and checked her watch, "Well I don't know about you, but I'm tired. We've done ten cemeteries I think that would just about do it for the night, not like there were actually expecting any rising anyway" Buffy said. Giles just nodded his head "I agree, I've got some reading to catch up on, we've done for the night, I take it you'll be joining me for lunch tomorrow as usual?" he asked politely. Buffy just nodded and smiled "12:00 on the dot, g'night Giles" she said before slipping into the shadows not unlike Angel had done earlier that night.  
~~~  
  
Walking home through the Cemetery as it was quicker to go though then around Buffy suddenly felt the presence of another immortal, 'definitely not Giles' she though. Although how she knew it wasn't him she didn't know, mentally shrugging she shelved that though along with the previous Giles thoughts from that night to be examined later. Blending into the shadows, Buffy opened her black leather Jacket, not the one that Angel had given her she noted absently as she soundlessly drew the relatively light long sword and crept forward.  
  
A man stood wearing a trench coat, in his hand was a kantana; Buffy admired the sculptured handle as he twirled it slowly in his hand wait for the nearby immortal to show them selves. "Come out, Come out, where ever your are" he said in a sing song voice mocking her, he heard a softly growl and watched as a young girl seemingly detached herself from the very shadows themselves. Appearing out of nowhere, much closer than he anticipated, bringing his kantana up defensively he watched her, quietly admiring the grace which she moved, 'well not so much moved, more like flowed, like an on coming tidal wave' he though as he reached out though his quickening and felt the power in the girl.  
  
Buffy stood firmly before the man, she could feel him reaching out and touching her with his senses, so she did the same noting the lack of 'evilness' as such all she could feel was a defensiveness, so she held her sword away to the side of her body "Are you Conner?" she asks, quietly.  
  
Conner was definitely in over his head with this girl, with age he had picked up a few tricks, he knew he was one of the more powerful immortals left in the Game. But this girl who was only just become immortal was at least twice as powerful he didn't know how that was possible but it was, at her question he re-focused on her, warily he nodded his head. Wondering if this was the girl that old Ripper hand talked to him across the phone about, but then Rip hadn't mentioned that she was this powerful, but then he probable wouldn't Conner though to himself, 'just in case I was tempted' he finished the thought.  
  
Buffy watched the wary nodding of the man she only knew as Conner and slowly pulled her sword back to her body, then lowered it, slowly, not wanting to startle Giles' friend "I'm a friend of Giles" she says. Getting a blank look she arched an eyebrow "Rupert Giles" still a blank look "um, I think Ripper?" she asks questioningly. That definitely got a response, she nodded to herself "I'll give you his address, we're meeting their tomorrow for lunch 12:00 sharp" Buffy said as she produced a pen and a piece of paper, quickly writing down Giles' address while still keeping an eye on Conner, just in case. Slid her sword back into it's sheath and closed the jacked, "I'm, Buffy by the way Giles' friend, and I'm tired and we'll introduce ourselves better tomorrow" she said as she stepped backward and seemed to become a shadow herself  
  
Conner watched in surprise as the girl called Buffy 'what kinda name is that anyway?' he though generally amused at that name, just disappeared, from sight, then from his immortal senses. Shaking his head he slid his own sword away and wondered quietly what the hell he gotten himself into as he himself disappeared into the shadows to return to the Motel he had been staying at.  
~~~  
  
Right on the dot at 12:00 Buffy was walking up Giles' path way to his house, when she heard raised voices coming from inside the house, her hands immediately went for the stake that was in a hidden pocket, on the inside of her jacket, when the two voices clicked. Giles and this Conner guy from last night were arguing, over something. Not wanting either of them to know she was their yet, she crept forward and crouched behind a shrub growing in Giles' front garden, sending out her senses, careful not to come into range of the two men arguing inside the house, then she started to listen in.  
  
"You should tell her, Rip" Buffy identified that voice as Conner, the slight accent was kinda cute she though quietly to herself  
  
"No, it's not something she should have to worry about, not this early" was obviously Giles. Buffy thought about it for a second, they were obviously arguing about her, Conner and Giles knew something and Giles was worried for some reason, she really, really hoped it wasn't something like the Master, it still hurt her to think that Giles hadn't told her about that.  
  
"She has a right to know, and you know it, she'll find out eventually and when she does, she's not going to be happy." Came the reply, Buffy was starting to get worried and thoughts of what it could possible be starting running though her mind, everything from her own, bloody and painful death, to Giles actually leaving her. She didn't know which would worry her more, another prophecy or Giles leaving.  
  
"She is by far too reckless as it is, just think what she'll be like if she finds out she's immortal" Giles says. Buffy's jaw just drops; 'immortal, I'm immortal' she thinks to herself and promptly falls out of her crouch on to her ass, is how shocked she is.  
  
"Reckless, she didn't seem a bit reckless when I came across her last night, she just appeared, out of the shadows. We both know I've been around for a few hundred years and in that time, I've gotten used to surprises, but this surprised me, as it was she was almost close enough to take my head even before I felt her nearby." Buffy broke out of her shock, and could hear something Conner's words, and edge of something, maybe fear or was it admiration, she didn't know or care, all she knew was that Giles had lied to her, at best he had deliberately kept something very important from her.  
  
"Good, I've been working on her senses, be very careful Conner, there will be a time when she could walk right up behind you and tap you on the shoulder. None of us can control the echo we create, but she can, or she is starting to, there are times when she scares me, and I'm her mentor. Just think if I were to teach her sorcery, she wouldn't even have to draw a sword or come with in 50 feet of her target." Buffy got up, she couldn't hear any more, not only was Giles lying to her, but he was scared of her, she was just Buffy, and Giles a 2500 person was scared of her. Buffy stumbled out of the yard and away down the street, missing the rest of the conversation.  
  
"Are you threatening me?" Conner asked his eyes squinting as his hand strayed to his trench coat "I've heard a lot about this from Methos, is that why he won't talk to you, are you training this girl as a head hunter?" he questioned his eyes glaring, colder than ice and harder than diamond.  
  
"What? No of course not" Giles said actually insulted at the implied though that he had purposely trained a head hunter. "Put it this way, Conner, It either me or Ethan that would have found out about her sooner or later, and he would have crushed her beautiful spirit with evil." Giles says returning the glare with every little bit of anger he could muster at the thought of crushing the spirit that Buffy projected.  
  
Conner took an involuntary step back at the sheer rage he saw in Giles' eyes "You love her, don't you?" He asks in surprise, Conner chuckles for a brief few seconds "The Ripper has finally found a woman that he loves" his hand coming away from his coat and he sits down into an arm chair laughing.  
  
Giles just sighs "I've only known her a year and already she's captured my heart" he sighs again as he too drop into a seat, almost depressed with the though, "The fact she doesn't feel the same doesn't really fill me with home either" he says  
  
Conner just shrugs his shoulders "You've got a lot of time to work it out, maybe she does love you, she is after all only 16 years, give her time" Conner says. Sitting forward in his chair, suddenly he looks over at the clock it read 12:30, "wasn't she supposed to be here at 12?" he asked Giles.  
  
Giles spun on his heals and looked at the clock, "yes and she's rarely late, you don't suppose she could have over heard us?" Giles asked a feeling of dread sinking into his stomach  
  
Connor hung his head "I think that is possible, exactly what has happened, we were far from quiet, almost yelling in fact, now it just matters, how much she heard, and exactly what? Does she know she's immortal and that you" Connor pauses to give Giles a pointed look "kept it from her, or does she know that you love her?" Connor said pondering on the question quietly  
  
Giles mutters a few curse words "We have to find her, if she founds out that I had kept this hidden from her..." Giles gives Connor an almost helpless look, begging for the other immortals help, at Connor's nod both of them hurried out the door to search for Buffy.  
~~~  
  
Buffy stubbled out of the driveway, and into the public garden that were across the road from the house, not even looking where she was going as she made her escape. As she walked, her senses were completely shut down, she didn't want Giles or Connor to find her, and right now she really had to think, so she almost missed the feel of another immortal nearby. But she didn't miss the voice "Good afternoon, pet" Now that voice definitely clicked; it was the voice on the phone. Buffy turned to take in the person that killed her Giles, she was really beginning to question her sanity right about now with all the 'my Giles', since the man in question had just told her a huge lie.  
  
Smiling faintly Buffy deepened her voice slightly so that that man might not recognise her voice from the phone call "Good afternoon, what do you want?" She says politely, even if she just wanted to rip his head off and have done with it fro dare hurting her Giles 'There I go again, my Giles, I really should think about these feeling, wait feelings, what feelings?' Buffy's thoughts run away with.  
  
Ethan smiled at the blond girl in front of him, he had a pretty good idea that this was Buffy Summers, the current slayer, after all he had seen her coming out of Ripper's drive. He was willing to bet that not many girls of this age spent that much time with his old Mentor "Nothing Slayer, just wondering how my old mate Ripper is, I saw you coming out of his place and was just curious."  
  
Even before Ethan can react Buffy has a knife flush against his neck "So, you shot Giles, hmm?" She asks in a conversational tone of voice "Does that make you like him, cut your head off and you dead?" she asked almost sweetly as she pushed the razor sharp knife against his throat. She knew that she was probable reacting too harsh, but she really needed an outlet to the anger she was feeling right now, and here was a connivent target, and to boot he was a bad guy.  
  
Ethan just grinned "now, now pet, no need to be like that, Ripper's still fine isn't he?" Buffy was forced to concede the point "I could have taken his head, we both know I had plenty of time to take it don't we?" Again Buffy had to nod her head no matter how much she didn't want to "So why on earth are you holding this knife to my neck I haven't actually done anything, just helped you find out a pretty big secret, don't you think?" Ethan said his voice soft "After all it wasn't like I kept any secrets was it? Not like your watcher, pet"  
  
Buffy growled "He's not my watcher" she said firmly ignoring the voice of protest coming from her head. She pushed the knife harder, then took all the pressure off and pushed Ethan away and the knife disappeared just as quickly as it appeared in the first place. "Get away, get out of town, I don't like you, and the next time I see you, I'll hurt you, now get" she said putting her hands on her hips and giving Ethan. A pure death glare, Buffy suddenly pushed her senses out as hard as she could, almost like a blow.  
  
Ethan fell back in surprise as Buffy's immortal senses slammed into him, his eyes opened wide "Your immortal" he said before getting up and backing off slowly. He watching the girl closely, just from the way her echo had slammed into him he knew she was powerful, 'too powerful to take, but maybe not too powerful to work with' the sly though came to mind as a plan began to form.  
~~~  
  
Giles and Conner had been searching for Buffy for a good 2 hours when Conner called an end to the search "Ripper, even if you do find her, what are you going to say?"  
  
Giles was of course silent, he had no idea what he was going to say, he didn't even know what Buffy had heard, maybe if he knew that then he could prepare what he was going to say to her.  
  
Conner took Giles' silence at it's meaning "You have no idea, do you?" he asks rhetorically "So what's the point of chasing around town looking for her, for all intense she's pretty safe here. I'm sure when Buffy has had time to think she'll want to talk to you about what ever she heard, you'll just have to wait for her to come to you."  
  
Giles gave Conner a helpless look and the pair entered the park, still walking around, looking for Buffy, "but what if she doesn't come to me?" he asked as he take a seat on one of the benches with a sigh.  
  
Conner gave Giles a look and took a seat beside him, leaning back on the bench, looking pretty much at ease "You've known her for this long, and I'm pretty sure she likes you, else why would she put up with you? She just might have gone somewhere to think things over. From what I figure, she either heard that you lied to her and were scared of her, or that you loved her."  
  
Giles quickly ran their conversation though his head and absently nodded his head "I'd have to agree, nothing else in that conversation would have upset her enough that she wouldn't have come in and started demanding answers." Giles says with a slight smile, which quickly disappears "the poor girl, he either think that her mentor is lying to her and scared of her, or that he's a pervert and loves her" With that Giles sank and rested his face on his hands, covering his face from view.  
  
Conner got up and put an arm on Giles' shoulder "you'll never know unless you ask her, and she won't find you here, let head back to your place. That way when she is ready to talk to you about what ever she heard, you will at least be available to talk to hmmm?" he said as he started walking back towards where Giles' place was.  
  
Giles though it over for a second ran his hand though his hair tiredly then nodded his head in agreement, Buffy was more likely to come and talk to him when she was good and ready, and after all didn't she face him down over the master. Nodding his head again feeling a little better, Giles quickly got up and started after Conner.  
~~~  
  
Meanwhile on the other side of town, Buffy was stumbling down the road to Willow's place, desperately needing her best friend, who wasn't scared of her, to talk to.   
  
As she passed Xander's place, he was walking out the door, he noticed her almost immediately and quickly ran after her, falling into step beside her he smiled "Hey Buff, where ya going?"   
  
Hearing the voice she jumped and turned, almost ready to attack who ever had surprised her, she stopped when she saw who it was.   
  
Xander's brow creased as he watched his best friend, and crush jump at the sound of his voice "Hey Buff, relax, just me, What's up? Your kinda jumpy" Xander took a better look at Buffy's face "and you've been crying? Now that's definitely a bad, what's the problem?" he said a little more firmly  
  
Buffy just shook her head, her earlier mood already relaxing now that he was in a good friends company "nothing Xan, it's ok, I was just going to Will's place, I really need to see Will right now" she said not even aware of the shaking tone of voice.  
  
Xander shook his head "Will's not home, her parents and her went on a holiday, they'll be back in a few days, remember she told you? But then you were talking to Giles at the time, so you might not have heard" Xander says thoughtfully, but he doesn't miss the sudden stiffening of Buffy at the mention of Giles, then it clicks for him, 'Giles must have told her about his 'condition''.  
  
Buffy sighed then turned to Xander "do you mind if I come over?" she asked quietly "I really need somebody to talk to. I know this doesn't look good me asking after you tell me Willow is away, but I really need to talk to somebody" she said as she looked at Xander with pleading eyes.  
  
Xander didn't even both trying to say anything, he knew he could say no to Buffy about anything, he simple put an arm around her back, and could feel the tension in the muscles. "We'll go to Will's place, it's closer and I have the keys. Will's won't mind if we use her room as a place to talk." he said softly  
  
Buffy relaxed slightly into the loose arm around her back and nodded her head, together the duo headed to Willow's house.  
~~~  
  
Jumping on to the bed, Xander gave Buffy his patented goofy grin, along the way to Willow's the pair had shared a little of what they had been doing over the summer. But every time Giles was mentioned Buffy would tense ever so slightly, Xander could feel it just walking beside her. He watched as Buffy took a seat on the edge of the bed.  
  
Xander came to sit beside her and he turned serious "So I take it, Giles told you he was an immortal" he asked, Buffy she looked at him shocked, and he grinned "Oh I already knew, my uncle's involved with a watchers group. They record all the immortals and stuff, I'll tell ya it's pretty creepy, any way he hired me to keep a loose eye on Giles" Xander nodded "pretty simple really since I was already working with you, and you and Giles go hand in hand just about"  
  
As the imagery of Giles and her, hand in hand jumped to mind demanding attention, she shook her head "maybe before, but not any more, Xander. I'm immortal too, I found out today and Giles he knew" she said as more tears came to her eyes "he lied to me" she said though her tears.  
  
At the sight of his best friend in tears, Xander's arms automatically went around her, and Buffy turned into the hug. "And what's worse? He said he was scared of me. But I'm just Buffy his slayer" she commented though her tears.  
  
Xander was still in slight shock over Buffy being an immortal, but when she made her last announcement he started "Buffy." He said softly "of course he's at least wary, I mean look at you, he's like 2500 year old, and your 16, and already you can beat him into the ground, but does that stop him from training you further?" he asked gently.  
  
Buffy stopped crying and pushed back a bit to look Xander in the eyes "but he said he was scared of me, me, why would he be scared of me?" she asked, begging an answer to a question she just could get her own mind around.  
  
"Buffy the new monster, is an immortal, his name is Ethan, I know my uncle told me, he was once Giles' student. Giles' taught Ethan, and he's teaching you, I suppose he's worried that another student of his will betray him and try and hurt him" Xander comment taking a wild guess.  
  
Buffy thought this over for a second, getting her feelings in check "So he's not scared of me as such, but scared that I'll be like this Ethan guy?" she asked rhetorically, but Xander nodded his head any way. Buffy gives Xander a hug, I have to go and talk to Giles. Thank you Xander" she say before rushing down the stairs and out the house leaving Xander with a slight smile on his lips, before moving to the phone to call his uncle.  
~~~  
  
A loud knock at the door startled Giles, since Conner had gone home he had sat in the lounge in silence, deciding not to move until Buffy came, or school restarted. Getting up out of the chair he opened the door to have a bundle of some sort fall into his arms, he soon identified the bundle as Buffy. He was stuck dumb, when she gave him a kiss on the cheek and whispered "you don't have to worry about me Giles, I'll never hurt you" in his ear. Part of his mind, which was still working, a very small tiny part said 'Well that answers exactly what she heard'.  
~~~  
  
All was quiet in the old mansion on the outskirts of town. That was until one got inside, then the faint sound of chanting could be heard throughout. If one was to follow the chanting they would find, Ethan standing wearing only a pair of jeans, his upper body was bare, except for where he had painted certain symbols on himself. Since finding out that the Slayer was immortal, which had startled him, he had been searching for something that would help him take her head. Now he thought he had it.  
  
Ethan had been searching for something to seriously weaken the Slayer. As it was the girl was too powerful for him to take. He had considered just shooting her and taking her head that way, but then he quickly discarded the idea. That way was for the weak, Ethan had some honor after all. No, he wouldn't kill her and take her head; he needed to best her in battle. He deliberated about taking his mentor's head, but discarded that idea as well. As twisted as he was, if ol' Ripper were to die, Ethan knew he wouldn't have nearly as much fun in life any more. Just killing one Rippers student's alone usually kept Ethan amused for years.  
  
As Ethan completed the spell he smiled rather nastily. 'Yes' he considered 'I may have a sense of honor, but as long as the slayer is alive and able to care for herself, she was fare game. How she survived with out any memories was a completely different story' he thought as he finished up the spell and felt the power pulse though his body. Ethan grinned and began to clean up 'that should take care of the Slayers memory, now we'll see how she goes.'  
  
~~~  
  
Suddenly Buffy stiffened in Giles' arms, her whole body started to shake, and she collapsed. Giles' tightened his hold on his slayer, and picked her up, resting her head on his chest. Decidedly worried he carried the limp girl upstairs and put her down on the bed. He was completely bewildered; Buffy had never collapsed like this before. He sniffed the air and could almost taste the scent of magic in it. Growling low in his throat, he hurried downstairs and called Xander.  
  
In a record breaking time later, Xander burst into the large apartment "What?" he demanded, after all Giles had just ordered him there and muttering something about Buffy. He was pretty worried.  
  
Seconds after his demand Giles had Xander pinned to the wall, one hand around the boy's throat, tight enough to warn Xander not to try anything. Giles grabbed his hands and exposed the tattoo, "start talking" he orders softly  
  
Xander nodded his head, obviously scared of the man before him who had always been gentle; except maybe towards Vamps and demons. "It was my uncle's idea, he visited a few weeks back. Just before school finished he asked me to watch you and now Buffy." Giles' hand tightened slightly at the mention of Buffy and Xander takes the hint. "She told me just before she came here. I only got off the phone with him 10 minutes ago."  
  
Giles nodded his head and lowered his hand from Xander's throat. "Please accept my apology, but I really needed to know. From now on you'll inform me of anything your uncle sends your way. Regardless." Giles says making his intent clear with a stern look and Xander nods his head, thankful to see the rather more violent nature of Ripper has faded away, if only slightly. "But we have a problem", Giles continues "somebody had cast a spell on Buffy, she collapsed just a minute ago" at Xander's questioning look Giles continues "I put her to bed up in my room, where she is resting comfortably."  
  
Xander nods his head. "Could it be Catherine the Great coming for revenge? Or is this the work of Ethan, going after her quickening." Xander asks after a slight pause, almost not able to say the words. Giles just nods his head, "Yes, it's definitely Ethan's work, we just have to wait for Buffy to wake up to see what kind of spell has been cast upon her. As it is, I want you to start researching general counter spells." Giles paused suddenly; taking in Xander's completely confused look. He sighs and steps to a bookshelf where he grabs a black, gold bound book. Giles hands it to Xander, "Start looking though this. Each spell is described, so all you have to do is look for a general, all-purpose counter spell. While you do that I'll check on Buffy." and with that he walked up the stairs to the loft above.   
~~~  
  
Buffy started awake, and looked around the strange room she was in. None of it looked familiar, but then nothing felt familiar either. She could make out the sounds of voices from below her, and then she heard steps on a staircase. Her sapphire blue eyes watched with apprehension as a tall man appeared in the doorway. Somehow Buffy could feel the anger that was coming off him and she scooted to the far side of the bed, pushing her body further under the covers. She had no idea where she was, if then man knew she was there or even who the man was for that matter.  
  
Giles saw the movement and his anger began to fade. As his green emerald eyes locked onto her sapphire ones, she scooted further under the covers almost as if she were trying to hide there. "Buffy?" he asked uncertain as to exactly what kind of spell Ethan had cast and how it would affect the slayer before him.  
  
Buffy looked thoughtful for a second then shrugged her shoulders, watching this man before her, making sure he didn't do anything threatening, even though she was getting an almost fuzzy feeling from him. 'I think I like him' she thinks to herself. She takes in his appearance and hmms quietly almost in appreciation of his strong looking body, apparent even if he was wearing a loose shirt with a pair of faded blue jeans.  
  
Giles noted the thoughtful look and the shrug, but missed the approving looks that Buffy was giving his body. A list of known spells flashed through his head, as he tried to see if any of them would produce this affect. He couldn't think of any. "Can you tell me anything?" he asks  
  
The thoughtful look on Buffy's face appeared again, and then she shrugged her shoulders, tears springing to her eyes. Buffy struggled to remember anything but all she had was a black space, nothing there. "I can't remember anything" she says, her voice a tiny almost squeak, as yet more tears began to run down her cheeks. "Are, are you my Dad or something?" she asks, her voice breaking.  
  
"Oh, Buffy" Giles says, as he sits down on the bed nearby. "No, I'm not your father, I'm more of a friend." he explains "Your name is Buffy Summers, you live with your mum, but you were visiting me when you had an accident and lost your memory. A friend of ours, and I are searching for the cure for it. I want you to get some sleep and we'll see what we can do, how does that sound?" Giles asks, trying to sound positive.  
  
Buffy gives Giles a doubtful look but she suddenly yawns, and then gives Giles a sheepish look. "I suppose I am a little tired." Buffy lies down in the bed her eyes still on Giles and he waits for what she has to say, knowing that her eyes on him meant she still had something to say. "How long will this last, I, I really don't like it" she says softly.  
  
Giles gets up "I don't Buffy, I don't know" he admits " but I think the cure is just downstairs. I just need you to stay here and get some sleep. I do know who caused the accident, and he will be suitably punished," At Buffy's tired nod, Giles left the room, closing the door and heading downstairs to begin researching with Xander.  
~~~  
  
The next day dawned, and the sun shining in to Giles' bedroom woke Buffy up. At first she didn't recall where she was, but as Buffy looked around the room became familiar from the night before. But that was all that was familiar after talking to Rupert last night, she was had hoped that her memories would be back, but it wasn't to be.  
  
Buffy crawled out of bed, not even noticing that she was still wearing her clothes from the previous day. She made her way downstairs, and found the man who called himself Rupert leaning back on a couch, fast asleep. There was also a dark haired teen sitting at a large kitchen table similarly, asleep. Buffy looked at the clock, which read 9:00.  
  
Well, she figured, as long as she remembered the way home, she might as well let the man and teenager sleep. They looked like they needed it. While they slept, she might as well have a look around where ever she was. She looked at the coat rack by the door and spotted a feminine jacket that looked about her size. She grabbed it and almost dropped it again when she noticed the sword.  
  
'Now why the hell am I carrying a sword around under my coat?' she wondered to herself, 'I wonder if I know how to use it' she idle wondered as she looked at the long sword, she picked it up again and tested the weight. It wasn't nearly as heavy as she thought 'that or I'm a lot stronger then I think' mentally she shrugged her shoulders, something inside her was tell her she needed to take it with her.  
  
Moving to the door, Buffy pulled the jacket on, while she held the sword in her hand. She was still debating if she should take it with her. 'Well', she thought, 'I was obviously carrying it around for a reason' She might not remember why she had it, but still she pulled on the belt around her shoulders. It wasn't until after she had pulled it on, that she realized that hadn't even crossed her mind on how to do it. Shrugging her shoulders again, she opened the front door and walked out in to the warm sunlight.  
~~~  
  
It was about an hour later that Giles woke up. He got up tiredly and straightened the casual shirt he wore. Sometimes he was very thankful that Buffy had found out about his secret, now he didn't have to dress as stuffy as watchers were want to. He now tended mostly towards jeans or thick cotton cargo pants which the pocket just over his knees for assorted things. He liked to wear the cargo's on patrol with Buffy, so he could put stakes or knives in his pockets.  
  
Heading up the stairs to check on Buffy, he looked into his room, rubbed his eyes, and promptly swore. The bed was empty. He quickly went downstairs to find Xander eyeing the coat rack, having been awoken by his rather loud outburst. "She's gone" was all Giles needed to say  
  
Xander nodded his head "I know, her jacket is gone. The good news is her sword is also gone. Of course the reason she took it, we can only guess." said Xander giving Giles a sympathetic look.  
  
Giles nodded his head "She has her slayer and immortal instincts acting to protect her." Giles took a breath to steady himself and continued almost absent mindedly "Her Slayer instincts probable won't let her leave the house unarmed, especially in her condition and her immortal instincts would want the sword for protection" as he grabbed his own coat and broad sword. "Come on we have to go and find her," Giles said as he disappeared out the door, Xander following closely behind.  
~~~  
  
Ethan woke up after casting the spell, it had been pretty hard work, getting past the Slayers natural magic defenses, but he had done it. He smiled to himself, it had worked, the slayers memories were gone, now all he head to do was get her away from Ripper. And of course stay clear of Ripper himself. When he did catch up to her, it should be easy from him to remove her head.  
  
Ethan stood up and pulled on a shirt, straight over the symbols that had to stay, or the spell would end. He grabbed his bastard sword and walked out of the old mansion. He did not bother locking it, he had everything on him that he would need to take out the Slayer. 'Literally on me' he thought amused at his own little joke.  
~~~  
  
About 5 minutes into her walk, Buffy felt a strange presence. Not so much strange, but dark, almost evil. She looks around and almost immediately spots the man walking up to her, a sword in hand. Buffy quickly looks around for an escape. Though her mind scream for her to fight, she chooses to run.  
  
Ethan couldn't believe his luck, he'd been lurking in the gardens across from Rippers place when he saw the Slayer leaving. Judging from the look on her face nothing was familiar. He quickly followed her into the garden, drawing his sword and moving in to attack. He grinned with amusement as she turned and fled. He quickly gave chase.  
  
Buffy looked over her shoulder, and could see that the sword wielding psycho still chasing her. She turned back around, just in time to be confronted with a eight foot brick wall. Turning, she quickly drew her own sword, not for one second suspecting that she could easily jump over the wall behind her. She held her sword up as the stranger came closer. "What do you want?" she asks.  
  
Ethan just grinned ad jumped in for an immediate attack, slashing straight for Buffy's neck to kill her in one shot. He wasn't stupid, as soon as Ripper found out his precious slayer was missing, he would be looking for her. "I want your head, little girl" he said with a growl.  
  
While Buffy had no idea what was going on, her body seemed to respond automatically. Her arm came up, and blocked the slash. She wondered if she did this sort of thing a lot, as she allowed her instincts to take over.. Ethan was startled by the girl's ability to block even a single slash to the neck and stepped back, circling around looking for a weakness. Suddenly he stepped forward and sent a lightning quick slash at Buffy's sword arm in an attempt to cripple her fighting ability.  
  
Buffy's sword again blocked, and this time she slid the sword right down Ethan's blade to the barbs and twisted her wrist in an attempt to disarm him. Ethan just grinned and let Buffy twist his arm. He was surprised at the move, obviously the spell wasn't as good as he thought. Buffy watched with an almost abstract interest as her instincts and muscles took over the job of fighting the psycho, she was just as surprised that she knew how do to this as Ethan was. The two swords contested in between the two combatants, when Ethan broke away abruptly, spun in a 360 degree circle and returned with a slash at her thigh. Buffy stumbled backward, but not in time. She yelps loudly as Ethan's sword bit into her thigh, and a blood surged out. Buffy had to fend off the sudden flurry of slashes and cuts from Ethan. She again catches Ethan's sword on her own and slides it down to the barbs.  
  
The two stand wrestling for supremacy. Ethan smiles, and is about to do his 360 trick when suddenly Buffy steps forward. "If it's my head you want, then here it is", she says as she drives her forehead into Ethan's nose. A breaking sound and a cry of pain is her reward, as she flinches away from the injury she has just caused. As Ethan's hands went to his nose her sword flashed and Ethan slumped to the ground, minus his head.  
  
Ethan's quickening slammed into Buffy and all 1573 years of memory suddenly became hers. She saw Giles as a younger man, 'figuratively speaking' she thought. She saw what Ripper had done, then all that he had done to make up for it. The black cloud that had been over her own memories lifted. It was too much to handle and she blacked out beside the headless body.  
~~~  
  
Giles felt the quickening as he saw it in the distance. Xander saw it also, and they exchanged glances. "Buffy" they said at the same time and immediately took off towards the direction. Giles arrived on the scene first and took it all in. He gave Ethan's dead body a pained look. He had always hated to lose a student, and Ethan had been his first. Giles sighed and started to check Buffy over, just as Xander came into the clearing "Is she ok?"   
  
"I don't know, and won't know until we get her home to check on her" Giles replied. He picked Buffy up and resting her head on his shoulder. Pulling off her blood stained jacket he tossed it to Xander and said, "wrap the sword in this and lets go." He put his arm under Buffy's knees and gently picked her up. Xander quickly complied putting the sword down the length of one of the arms, then wrapping the rest of the jacket around the swords "ok, lets go" he said as he turned to Giles. They quickly made their way back to Giles' place.  
~~~  
  
Giles' kicked the door open, and the sound disturbed Buffy who was gradually coming out of her unconscious state. Buffy snuggled deeper into Giles, rubbing her cheek on Giles' chest as she buried her face into the crook that her own shoulder made against Giles. Giles smiled faintly down at the picture his slayer made. She looked tiny cradled in his arms, and he recalled carrying her just like this after Catherine the great had poisoned her. He tighten his grip just slightly. Entering into the lounge area, he pointed to the umbrella stand where a few sword hilts could be seen and Xander nodded his head.  
  
Unwrapping the swords, Xander took them into the kitchen to clean the blood off. He had watched the other pair pretty closely all the way home, and what he saw was both heart breaking and heart warming at the same time. He still wanted Buffy, and since dead boy was out of the picture, he thought he might have a better chance, 'guess again, Xand' he thought to himself quietly. Still Giles was better then Angel anyway.   
  
Giles sat down on the couch, Buffy still held tightly in his arms "Buffy?" he asked quietly "Buffy are you with us?" he asked again a little louder.  
  
Buffy murmured at the first sound of her name. "Giles, quiet" she said in a tired but grumpy voice "I've had a crappy day, and I'm not moving or waking up, even for you" she said her voice trailing off towards the end as she went back to sleep.  
  
Xander reemerged from the kitchen with the two swords and dropped then both into the stand "is she ok?" he asked as he joined them.  
  
"She's perfect" Giles said, his attention not on what he was saying "I'll put her to bed, don't worry. You'd better head home, your parents might be worried" he says finally turning his attention to Xander.  
  
Xander just nodded his head and watched as Giles, cradling Buffy to his chest walked up the stairs to put her to bed. He himself had a phone call to make to his uncle.  
  
~~~  
  
Giles put Buffy down on the bed and started to withdraw his arms, when Buffy, clutched at his arms and snuggled into them. "Buffy" he started with but the blonde just sighed and snuggled closer. Giles sighed, it had been a long day and it was only just past midday. Thinking of the hours sleep he got last night, he laid down on the bed and went to sleep, with Buffy snuggling into his side.  
  
END 


End file.
